Ahaunting We Will Go
by Magus732
Summary: When a mysterious friend comes to see Raven, the Titans get to see a side of her that she's been hiding for too long. Rated T to be safe. It may change, as there's RavenxOC stuff in later chapters. Chapter 5 is up!
1. Chapter 1

Ahaunting We Will Go

By Magus732

"Friends, have you noticed that recently, our home is not quite as 'homey' as usual?" Starfire asked curiously as Cyborg and Beast Boy sat on the couch, enthralled by their video game. Robin lifted his head up from breakfast to turn his attention to the princess addressing them.

"What do you mean, Star?" As Robin helped himself to the "bacon" Beast Boy had made for them, Raven decided to join the waking world. Sort of.

"I have heard many strange noises at night, when everyone else is asleep-"

"Starfire, most likely, you're hearing Cyborg and Beast Boy snoring." Raven interrupted sleepily, groaning as her head hit the kitchen table loudly.

"Raven, you okay?" The Boy Wonder queried, receiving only a soft groan as a reply, followed by a light snoring. Beast Boy and Cyborg looked up from the TV screen to see what was going on, pausing their game as they peeked up over the back of the couch.

"Maybe she got home late. All that hardcore partying." The shapeshifter suggested jokingly.

"Um, Raven?" Robin grabbed the sorceress' shoulder lightly. Her response was to leap up from the table, screaming;

"It wasn't me! I didn't do it!"

"Uh, dude? You were asleep."

"Thank you for that sobering dose of reality, Beast Boy. Now get out of my room." Her head slammed back down on the tabletop.

"Uh, Raven..." Cyborg began, before Robin finished his thought.

"You're in the living room." Her eyes shot open. She looked down, making sure she was dressed.

"Good." She stated blandly. "_The last thing I need right now, or _ever_, is to be naked _and_ sleepwalking._" She thought to herself.

"Raven, you okay? You haven't been yourself lately." Robin asked in his usual, fatherly way.

"Yes, you have been most social and... I must admit, Friend Raven, it is giving me the freaks."

"I think you mean 'freaking me out.'" Cyborg suggested helpfully, receiving an unseen glare from Robin.

"I think she means 'giving me the creeps.'" Robin suggested, somewhat annoyed by the teen's bluntness.

"Well, whatever! Dude, you rocked that dance contest the other night! That was totally not like you." Beast Boy jumped over the couch to land next to her. She rolled her eyes, yawned, and sat back down at the table.

"I'm just... living a little. With Trigon no longer an issue, I'm free to... try new things. Meet people."

"I know, it's just... kinda weird." Cyborg admitted hesitantly, sweatdropping when she turned to glare at him.

"Look, I just... I need to meditate." She turned to leave, but Beast Boy got in her way.

"Oh, no! You're not gonna pull that 'dark and mysterious' stuff again, Rae. We know all about your little problem with rabid meta-rhetorical bescidications."

"That's _random metaphysical prestidigitations, _Beast Boy. And stop calling me 'Rae'. I... I don't like it." She brushed past him, head covered by her hood as she walked away from the other Titans.

"Why not, Friend Raven? Has Beast Boy insulted you with his name of nicks?"

"No, Starfire, his _nickname_ for me isn't the problem. It's that he keeps _using_ it after I ask him not to. That's the problem." Raven replied curtly, anger slowly rising beneath the surface. Despite the signs of an impending meltdown – clenched fists, light panting, growling under her breath – Beast Boy wouldn't let up, well, trying to help.

"Aww, c'mon, Raven. We just wanna help. I mean, you're so closed off, you may as well be in prison! You never let anybody inside-" She suddenly turned around and grabbed the changeling by his collar.

"Maybe it's because whenever I need time alone, little green idiots try to get inside my mind and _screw things up_!!!" She shoved him away, hearing his "oof" as he hit the floor bottom-first. Surprisingly, her shove wasn't very strong, and Beast Boy blinked in amazement that he hadn't been sent flying across the room. The group watched her retreating form disappear behind the door, dumbstruck by her restraint.

_Some time later, in Raven's room_...

"Very beautiful performance, Rae. I've never known you to be so... controlling... of your anger." A mysterious voice spoke to her through the darkness of her room, the dim light of her candles notwithstanding.

"What? Who's there?" She opened her eyes and flicked on the light, but saw nothing.

"Beast Boy, I told you; leave me alone!" She pulled her hood up, scanned the room for intruders, and when no one appeared in her view, she was satisfied that she had imagined the voice. She closed her eyes and resumed meditating on her bed. Then, few moments later, a male voice whispered softly in her ear;

"Hello again, Raven."


	2. Chapter 2

Soft, ethereal music seeming to come from everywhere; that was Raven's first clue that she wasn't in Jump City anymore when she regained consciousness.

"What the..." She slowly opened her eyes, looking around and taking in the view. The only outstanding terrain feature was that there _was_ no terrain. She sat on the edge of her bed, surrounded by a dimly lit void. Mysterious, almost surreal colors flooded the "sky" of this place as she looked up.

"Hello?" She walked around a little while, at first surprised she wasn't floating.

"Hello, Rae. It's good to see you again." That same voice. The sorceress knew it from somewhere, but she was drawing a blank for the name. It reminded her somewhat of a boy she knew in Azarath.

_Flashback... 6 Years Ago..._

"Hey, Rae. What's up?" A young man came up to her, a huge, eager grin on his face.

"Oh... hey..." She responded shyly. Raven never could get comfortable around this boy; he was just so... unusual. For an Azarathian. His shoulder-length silver hair flowed in the "cosmic wind" that fluttered through Azarath's outer boundaries. His deep, slate-grey eyes beamed with enthusiasm. His charming smile and outspokenness beckoned her to drink in his every word. And yet... she could never remember his name. Her mixed expression of confusion and curiosity slipped through her normally passionless façade.

"It's a fine day for a walk in the Outer Reaches, wouldn't you say?" He queried slyly, seeing the light pink blush staining her cheeks. She groaned a little, trying to hide the fact that he'd drawn her in.

"What are _you_ so happy about?" She shot back, a bit _too_ roughly. The boy frowned a little with faux concern.

"Awww... is big, strong Raven embarrassed by little 'ole me?" She glared at him, but couldn't help breaking out into laughter. He quickly joined her, and as they settled down, he signed contently and jumped up a bit to sit next to her on a waist-high stone wall.

"No, I'm _not_ embarrassed..." She replied with a fake tone of sternness. He just smiled at her, knowing full well what the truth was.

_Present Day... Sort of..._

"I wish I could say the same." Raven finally replied to her guest.

"Awww, don't be mad, Rae. I know it's been a little while, but-"

"6 years is more than 'a little while.'" The disembodied voice cleared its throat nervously.

"Yes, well... can I continue?"

"Sure. I'm not going anywhere."

"Thank you. _Anyway_, I thought I'd drop in and check on you. Y'know, I've been worried about you for some time now."

"Oh, how sweet! Can you just tell me what this is about!?" Raven yelled impatiently.

"Temper, Rae. It's always gotten the better of you. Why do you think I'm not 'here' right now?"

"_You're_ asking _me_ why you're doing something!? Sometimes, I think you really _are_ clueless." The tiniest hint of a smile played on her lips.

"Ouch! That hurt, Raven. You shouldn't be so mean to your friends."

"It would be nice if I could see you." Finally, the young man from her past stepped forward from the darkness that surrounded her bed, clad in a hooded white robe. His silver hair flowing softly in the "breeze" as he pulled the hood down, he looked at her from across the short gap that separated them.

"There. Happy, now?"

"No. Now, take me home. I'd rather be there than... wherever the heck we are right now."

"You mean, you don't remember? Rae, you wound me."

"No, not yet I haven't." She raised her hand, surrounded by black energy, to punctuate her statement.

"Hey, now. Be reasonable. There's no need to be hasty." They were suddenly back in her room. The clock on her wall read 8:31. Just 60 seconds had past.

"Look, Rae, you need me again. You've lost touch with your whimsical side."

"_What_ are you talking about?" He looked at her skeptically.

"You don't even remember what we used to do together, Raven?"

_Flashback... 5 Years Ago..._

"Hey, Rae."

"Hey."

"Look, it's Azar's ghost!" He joked, pointing to the statue of Azar in the village square.

"Where!?" Raven said worriedly, raising her energy-encased hands to defend herself. Then, just as she turned back to him, in his place was "the ghost of Azar". She screamed in terror as the ghost came closer, only to transform back into the mischievous young man. He began to laugh hysterically, falling off the stone wall he had been sitting on and landing on his back as he kept laughing.

"You're too easy, Rae!" He started to turn blue from his laughter, which came to an abrupt halt when she surrounded him in mystic energy and lifted him off the ground. He looked at her as she turned him upside down.

"Now, Rae... remember what Arella said... humor is important for you to learn!" He pleaded with wide eyes. Her smirk of triumph told him what she was planning. Before he could beg her to stop, he found himself deposited headfirst into the fountain nearby, soaked to the bone with water. As he sputtered and coughed, trying to catch his breath, Raven walked over, readying her victory speech.

"Y'know, _you're_ pretty easy yourself-" She yelled in surprise as he pulled her in headfirst. He laughed as he splashed her mercilessly, wrestling with her in the cold water.

"You can't beat me, Rae!"

"I bet I can!" It was a see-saw of a fight; one minute, he'd be on top of her, pinning her to the fountain floor with his impossible strength. The next minute saw her back on top, using her powers to hold him underwater. After a few rounds of this, they both collapsed into the street, thoroughly exhausted.

"That was fun, Rae!" The young man exclaimed.

"Mmm-hmm." Raven smiled and nodded in agreement.

"What do you two think you're doing?" A guard came over, looking down at the pair with weary eyes.

"Well?" He demanded angrily. The two 12-year-olds exchanged a look, and leapt into action.

"Catch us if you can!" They both shouted. Raven disappeared into the ground with her powers, and the young man emitted a burst of colorless smoke from his open mouth as he jumped into the air, engulfing the guard in a choking cloud of white powder. When he regained his sight, the two were gone.

"Blasted kids!" He shouted to no one in particular.

_Present Day..._

"Yeah, I remember... Shift."

"Oh, so you do remember my name? I knew you were only pretending, Miss Goody Demon Shoes!" He pulled on one eyelid and blew a raspberry at her. She gasped in surprise, but giggled a bit.

"See, you're getting it! You just need more exposure."

"Oh, trust me, I get enough 'exposure' from Beast Boy."

"Yes, I imagine Garfield is giving you quite the headache."

"How you do- never mind. I almost forgot who I was talking to." He chuckled a bit.

"Well, I seem to have that affect on people." There came a soft knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Shift called in Raven's voice. Raven held back a giggle.

"Raven, it's Beast Boy. I-I, I wanted to apologize for earlier." They could both hear the sound of shuffling feet as they listened closely.

"Oh? And what are you sorry for, exactly? You were only trying to help, Beast Boy. I can't be angry with you for _that_." Shift continued fluidly, never missing a beat. He even got her impassive tone, down to the minor rasp that came whenever she spoke softly.

"You mean, you're not mad?" The shapeshifter called in excitedly.

"No, of course not." Suddenly, Shift disappeared from Raven's view.

_Meanwhile..._

"Raven? You sure you're okay?" Beast Boy called into Raven's room. Suddenly, she phased through the wall behind him. As the sorceress pulled him into a soft hug from behind, the changeling let out a soft "eep".

"I'm sure, Beast Boy. You know, I've never told you this..." She scooted closer to his ear. "But I've never met anybody quite like you." Raven began running her tongue along the tip of Beast Boy's pointed ear. He shuddered a bit in response, unsure of what was going on.

"Okay, Raven. I think you've had a little too much tea." He chuckled nervously.

"What are you talking about? I haven't had any tea this morning." Raven stated in front of him. Beast Boy turned to look behind him, and Shift was standing there instead, draped over the shapeshifter's shoulder.

"Boo."

"Aah!!" Beast Boy ran down the hallway, shouting something unintelligible. As he reached the living room, he started stuttering incoherently.

"What is it, Beasty Boy?" Robin queried worriedly. Beast Boy stuttered and pointed in the direction of Raven's room. Before they got any further explanation, Raven and Shift phased through the door into the living room. For Shift, however, the phasing was markedly different from Raven's; as he walked through the steel, he created a colorless distortion in his place as he cleared it, which re-solidified when he was completely through it. Starfire's eyes lit up with excitement, seeing that Raven had made a "new" friend.

"Raven, how glorious! You have made a new friend, and wish for us to meet him!" She flew over and applied her death-hug, trying to squeeze the life of him with joy. He squirmed free of her grip, smiling and nodding in approval.

"Please, no need to wrinkle my clothes!" Shift stated lightly. Raven giggled softly, smiling as she came over.

"Starfire, Shift isn't a new friend. I met him back in Azarath, several years ago. We haven't seen each other in-"

"Greetings, Titans!" Control Freak suddenly blared through the TV.

"Control Freak!" Robin growled angrily.

"Once again, I've been 'released' from prison. And this time, no mistakes! I'll finish you off for good!"

Author's Note: In case you couldn't tell, Shift's power is the ability to alter reality. Just thought I'd mention it, just 'cause.


	3. Chapter 3

"Who is this guy?" Shift whispered to Raven.

"Control Freak's a really nerdy couch potato with _way_ too much free time on his hands, _and_ he thinks he's an evil genius."

"How'd you get out, Control Freak!?" Robin demanded angrily. Control Freak simply laughed in reply.

"Oh, I have my ways. Let's just say it was a... _tear jerker_... of an escape." He laughed "evilly", annoying all present.

"What's he doing in the red light district?" Shift asked Raven softly, which gained him a questioning look from the sorceress.

"How do you know where he is? Do we even _have_ a red light district in this town?" She responded blandly. The young man simply shrugged.

"You know where is he!?" Robin suddenly jumped over to them, a look of determination of his face.

"Well, sure. He's right here." As Control Freak continued his evil laughter, Shift reached into the TV and pulled him into the Titans' living room. When he realized what happened, the villain's laughter died down.

"So, uh... who's up for some TV?" He smiled nervously as the Titans' smirked in victory.

"Sorry, Control Freak... I'm afraid your freedom's been cancelled." Robin stated triumphantly. Shift rolled his eyes.

"Does he always do that?" He whispered to Raven. She giggled a little.

"Wait, always do what?"

"Always add an unnecessary one-liner after catching the bad guys."

"Oh, _that_. Yeah, pretty much."

"Well, it's _really_ annoying..." Raven giggled again. The other Titans turned back to the pair as Robin took Control Freak away.

"So, how'd ya'll meet?" Cyborg looked curiously at the pale-skinned duo, a soft smile playing over his lips.

"Well-"

"You don't want to hear _that_ story." Shift suddenly blurted out nervously. Raven turned to join Starfire and Beast Boy in giving him a curious look. Sweatdropping, he continued.

"It's _really_ boring... and, kind of embarrassing..." He admitted. Raven smiled slightly.

"Oh, yeah... I _almost_ forgot about that..."

"Forgot about what?" Beast Boy scratched his head in confusion.

"Yes, please tell us... what is this embarrassing moment you encountered when first meeting?" Starfire asked innocently. Suddenly, Shift's eyes glowed a deep silver, sending a few pieces of silverware smashing through the TV screen.

"I don't want to talk about it! Just leave it alone!" He yelled angrily. All present watched in amazement as he turned away and hung his head.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. It's just... I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't make the same mistake twice."

"If we don't know what the mistake was, how can we help you to avoid it?" Starfire queried. Robin returned with a serious look on his face.

"What mistake are we talking about?" He joined in.

"No! No mistakes! Not again! I can't let it happen again!!" Shift suddenly turned on his heels and ran out the door, the eyes of the Titans following his long stride.

"Raven, what's going on?" Robin asked softly. The sorceress shook her head.

"I don't know. I've never seen him like this."

"Perhaps he is merely having difficulty adjusting to Earth?" Starfire suggested.

"No, it's not that. Shift's always been an enigma to me, but... he's never acted like that before. At least, not in front of me."

"What did the elders say about his future, Raven?" Robin's voice betrayed his hidden concern.

"I, I can't say. He never told me what he found out, _if_ he found out." Raven's voice carried a hint of worry as well.

"Look, maybe he just needs to chill out for awhile. I mean, we all know how Raven gets moody sometimes." He shrank back from her angry glare.

"Maybe Cyborg's on to something." Robin walked over to the TV and pulled out the silverware lodged in it from earlier. "Has he ever lost control of his powers before, Raven?"

"Once. At least, that he's told me about."

"What happened? Did he step on some statue? Blow up a church? Burn down a village?" Beast Boy grew panicky. Raven rolled her eyes, frowning as she thought intently.

"He wouldn't tell me much, but I do know that whatever happened, a lot of people got hurt because of it."

"Maybe he's afraid he'll lose control again." Robin deduced.

"Yeah, but it's nothin' we can't handle, right?" Beast Boy declared proudly. The sorceress next to him frowned slightly and shook her head.

"Beast Boy, Shift's powers alter reality. If he loses control, he can _erase_ people from existence... change _buildings_ into _sewers_... make _up_ turn into _down_." The shapeshifter's face drooped in defeat.

"Oh." He stated sadly.

"Look, whatever the reason, we need to find him, fast. Who knows what could happen?" Robin insisted.

"That kinda power could wreck the whole world!" Cyborg declared worriedly.

"It's worse than that, guys." They turned to Raven.

"His powers are likely strong enough by now to affect the whole universe."


	4. Chapter 4

"Now, if I were a reality-altering superhero on the run from my own instability, where would I go?" Beast Boy thought out loud. Cyborg gave him a hard slap across the back of the head, sending him face first into the concrete sidewalk.

"Yo, BB, we're _supposed_ to be lookin' _everywhere_ for 'im, not just guessin' where to look, alright?" The teen looked skeptically at Beast Boy as he got back to his feet, at which point he sweatdropped and laughed nervously.

"I knew that." The changeling assured his friend as he came up behind him.

"Y'know, you've been actin' kinda weird since we left the Tower."

"Whaddya mean, dude?"

"Well, for one thing, you haven't said anything about Raven and Shift 'gettin' it on!' in Raven's room, or somethin' stupid like that."  
"Oh. Well, maybe I'm saving it for when she's around." The shapeshifter shot back in faux offence.

"Well, why didn't you say somethin'!? I wanted to join you!" Cyborg stared as Beast Boy scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Well, I kinda felt bad after what happened back at the Tower."

"Why? What happened?"

"Nothin'."

"Whaddya mean, 'nothin''?"

"Well, I kinda... went to apologize for pushing Raven too far."

"And?"

"_And_ nothing, alright!?"

"Okay, okay! Man!" Cyborg finally just let it go, holding his hands up in surrender. They resumed their search, but - even after several more hours and a scenic trip through the city's sewer system - came up empty-handed.

_Meanwhile..._

"Shift, where the heck are you!?" Raven yelled at the top of her lungs. Robin and Starfire had elected to search by themselves. As if she didn't know why. Suddenly, a rustling noise behind her. She readied herself for combat, straining to keep her tired eyes open as she sheathed her hands in black energy.

"Raven?" Robin called through the bushes. As they parted to reveal the Boy Wonder and his Tamaranian girlfriend, she sighed in relief and diffused the energy around her hands. She'd been searching by herself for what seemed like an eternity, and - having finally found someone - she was glad it was someone she knew. She began to worry even more about Shift, however.

"He's nowhere!" She yelled skyward, kicking the base of a tall oak tree in anger. Robin came over to comfort her somehow, but he remained silent, unable to find any comforting words.

"Friends, perhaps we should retire for the evening. It is beginning to get rather dark, and we have yet to find even one trace of Raven's missing friend." Starfire said as she joined them.

"No! We _have_ to find him!" Raven insisted. Suddenly, the sorceress yawned.

"We can't just keep searching like this forever, Raven. We're running out of energy." Robin said wearily. Raven finally sighed in defeat, slumping over against the tree and hanging her head.

"We have-" Yawn. "-to find him." She began snoring lightly as she slid down to rest at the base of the tree.

"C'mon, let's get her home, Star." The Boy Wonder whispered to Starfire. She picked up the limp body of the sorceress and flew off as Robin mounted the R-Cycle. Somewhere nearby, a 7-foot-tall man wearing a conspicuous trench coat and hat eyed their retreating forms, then whispered into his armband.

"We're on the right planet, alright. The Stargazer is definitely here." He then disappeared in a flash of light.


	5. Chapter 5

"Raven?" A soft voice woke the demoness from her slumber. As she slowly opened her eyes, Shift was staring down at her, floating just above her bed.

"Shift!? Where _were_ you!?" She shrieked in anger and frustration. The young man looked down at her sadly.

"I needed to clear my head, Rae. You know how that is..." He gave her a soft smile. She sighed in exasperation, hiding her relief that he was still alive and well.

"Well, the others will be glad to know you're alright..."

"Not exactly..." He said, almost to himself.

"What do you mean, Shift?"

"Look, I have to go... I'll come back when it's safe for _you_..."

"What are you talking about, Shift?" He looked suspiciously from side to side, then narrowed his eyes as he looked back down at her.

"I'm being hunted. I can feel it." This comment made the sorceress sit up.

"What do you mean? Who would want to hunt _you_?"

"I don't know, Rae. _That's_ what scares me. I've never met anyone or anything that could disrupt my powers. But, I do have a theory..."

"And that would be...?" He floated down to sit next to her on his bed.

"I've read stories about a race of interdimensional beings who had powers just like mine. They could alter reality to suit them... thing is, they're all extinct now... hunted one-by-one because they were thought to be too strong to be allowed to live..."

"That's terrible, Shift, but what's that got to do with you?"

"I think one of those beings may be after me, Rae..." The young woman blinked a bit, then giggled softly.

"But you said they were extinct. How can one be after you if there aren't any left?"

"I don't _know_, Raven! I don't understand what's going on, but I can't stay here... not right now... not until I know what's wrong with my powers..."

"Maybe nothing's wrong with your powers... maybe you just need to keep better control of your emotions..." She reasoned gently.

"_Maybe_ I should leap into the sun and expose myself to enough heat to get fourth-degree burns!" She blinked a bit, unable to fully process why he was suddenly so angry.

"Shift, what is _that_ supposed to mean?" He looked at her for a moment before answering, sighing loudly before he continued.

"I'm sorry I snapped, Rae. I just need to find a good place to think things through." He answered.

"_Please _tell you're not stupid enough to try to hide in the sun." She stated drolly.

"_No_… stupid has nothing to do with it…"

"Shift, I didn't mean-"

"No, I know what you meant!"

"I still think-"

"Rachel Roth, I do _not_ wish to speak of this further! You would do well to let the matter rest!" Out of nowhere, his voice took on an amplified, multi-tonal quality, as if there were dozens of people speaking in unison. His eyes had changed color and were now a deep silver, like someone had poured molten mercury into them. His hands, encased in silver fire, were held out in front of him, as if he was about to strike her down. More than a little off put by all of this, she shrank back, clearly intimidated. After a brief pause, she regained the ability to use her voice.

"Alright, Shift, fine; you win. I won't bring any of this up again." He calmed down, his head turned a bit as he made his way out of her room.

"Shift, wait! You can't just _leave_!" She materialized in front of him, barring his path to her door.

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Can you do better than that?" She smirked a little.

"Because… I want to help you."

"And if you can't?"

"Look, why is it always 20 Questions with you!? Can't you just tell me what I want to know!? It's not that complicated! I just want a straight answer from you!" Her eyes narrowed angrily as she lashed out with her powers, pinning him against the wall with a hard "smack". He blinked, taken by surprise, but effortlessly broke her hold on him. She gasped a bit as he overwhelmed her magic, his own powers flaring to life as he threw her over his head to land back on her bed. Pinning her to the soft, velvet sheets, he slowly made his way over to her. As her eyes widened in shock and fear, his voice changed back to an echoing cacophony.

"You are not capable of understanding the truth of his existence, Rachel Roth. This child holds many powerful secrets, guarded at great expense to our race to prevent him from ever learning the fate of those who came before. He is the last of our kind, placed in Azarath to shield him from the hatred of those who would see him destroyed, and you will _not_ be allowed to help him uncover his true origin." She felt the band of silver energy around her midsection tighten painfully, squeezing her as she cried out. With an emotionless look on his face, Shift watched as the young woman screamed in agony, her lithe form straining against her bonds as he squeezed her tighter, the force of his power lifting her a few feet straight up as tears streamed from her eyes.

"Shift, please stop! I'm begging you, please; let me go! I promise, I won't delve any deeper into your past! Just please, don't kill me!" Shift hesitated for a moment, his expression softening as he saw how much he was hurting her. As a single tear ran down his cheek, he finally released her, letting her fall back down as she gasped out a ragged breath, her lungs burning with exertion. The young man teleported away, leaving a shocked Raven to lay on her bed, her head swimming with the sensation of having had the life drained from her body. Lacking the strength to stand, she reached out feebly as her vision clouded over, her body wracked with pain as she lost consciousness.

…

As the young half-demon slowly opened her eyes, unimaginable fatigue set upon her; it felt like she had just _run_ to the top of Mt. Everest.

"Raven?" Robin stared down at the sorceress with deep concern, his masked eyes narrowed to watch for any sign of life. She groaned tiredly as he pushed her back down onto the bed.

"Easy, Raven… you've been out for almost 12 hours."

"S-Shift…"

"We didn't find him, Raven. He's still out there, somewhere." As the young leader turned to grab a cold pack to put on her sweat-covered forehead, she grabbed hold of his arm tightly.

"No, Robin. Shift… he did this to me." The Boy Wonder's eyes widened, then flared with anger.

"Why?"

"I wish I knew, Robin. I wish I knew." She slowly turned to stare out the window, the full moon outside illuminating her tear-stained face as she slowly went back to sleep.


End file.
